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Legal Aspects of Doing Business in North America - 2nd Edition - Loose leaf
Legal Aspects of Doing Business in North America - 2nd Edition - Electronic
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Wyoming
Philip P Whynott
Attorney at Law
Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
Introduction
Wyoming, located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, is the nation’s ninth largest state
in land mass, containing approximately 97,900 square miles, 375 miles east to west and
176 miles north to south. Wyoming’s size exceeds that of the British Isles.
The state’s acreage is comprised of 80 per cent range land and 16 per cent forest and
woodlands with the remaining 4 per cent crop land. With an average land elevation of
6,100 feet above sea level, the state enjoys a mild climate.
With its population of 480,000, Wyoming’s population density is only five persons per
square mile. The state’s second largest city, Casper, with a population of 45,000, is located
near the geographical center of the state; however, most of the state’s population is located
in the southern tier of the state along the Union Pacific Railroad line. Cheyenne, the capital
city, has a population of 64,600, with other cities as follows:
• Laramine — 29,000;
• Rawlins — 21,000;
• Rock Springs-Green River — 43,300; and
• Evanston — 18,000.
Wyoming’s economy finds its primary strength in the mining industry with vast amounts
of low-sulfur coal, uranium, oil, natural gas, and trona deposits being readily accessible to
modern mining techniques. Diverse agricultural products of beef cattle, dry beans, hay,
milk, sugar beets, and wheat play an important role in the state’s expanding economic life.
Additionally, the state has the largest population of elk, antelope, and sage grouse in North
America. In general, Wyoming is richly endowed with wildlife, including 44 species of
birds, 107 species of mammals, 73 species of fish, and 38 species of reptiles.
The state has a vast reservoir of skilled workers and is consistently ranked first or second
in the United States for average per capita personal income.
